


Cutoff

by unendingexhaustion



Series: Swallow the Inverse [1]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Body Horror, Gen, Hallucinations, Mental Instability, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parasites, Parasitism, Psychological Horror, extradimensional hellbeasts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-03-11 18:58:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13530555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unendingexhaustion/pseuds/unendingexhaustion
Summary: The story of Rishi Outpost, but different. An isolated backwater outpost is just what the seppies need to test out a particularly strange new weapon. Domino Squad is cut off from the rest of the GAR, plauged by strange happenings, an unknown illness, and the upcoming routine inspection is their only hope! But worst of all, something outside is whispering…





	Cutoff

Count Dooku did not like Wild Space. He liked his current situation even less, without bringing location into the equation. Outside, the blinking lights of satellites rotated slowly around a slowly shifting behemoth. The lazy motions of its tendrils were hypnotic and sickening. It’s more than a little reminiscent of one particular Sith. At that very moment, the holocomm shuddered into life. The flickering form of Darth Sideous cast a sickly blue glow over Dooku’s drawn face. The psychic effects the creature radiated had not been kind to the organic beings of the Seperatist fleet. He wasn’t entirely sure if the eerie hissing quality of the Sith’s voice had always been there, or if it was a side effect of the creature. More likely than not it was nothing more than broken speakers. A direct question startled Dooku out of his contemplations.  


“Is it ready? Has your research borne fruit? I have reason to believe that a decisive strike will be necessary, and this….project of yours….it could provide the damage we need to finally claim our victory over the Republic.”  


“Research goes slowly, my lord.” Count Dooku did not look up as he answered. “It is proving difficult to collect the proper data using droids. The information from the extracted memory cores is not worth the cost of incinerating the contaminated units, and we lack easily disposable sentients.”  
“Hmm. And do you, my apprentice, have a plan as to how to make this worth my while? It would be extremely inconvenient if the resources you’ve put into this were to end up going to waste.”  
The inflection on Sideous’s final words made Dooku’s blood run cold, though he’d never admit it. Months upon months of carefully diverting republic cargo ships, millions of credits in bribes, and thirteen massive chunks of kyber, so big as to be quite literally priceless. If this mission were to fail, Sideous would not be kind. Even so, the blow this could deal to the Republic….  
An idea.  


“I do, in fact, my lord. While the Separatist movement lacks sentients to test it on, one might say the Republic has a surfeit. There is an outpost relatively nearby, at the edge of the Outer Rim. The asset could be transported there in only a few months. That is ample time to hack the ‘all-clear’ transmission the base broadcasts and place data collection equipment. The only contact the base has with the rest of the galaxy comes in the form of an infrequent routine inspection. All in all, a perfect contained experiment.”  


“Wonderful. You’ve done well, my apprentice. Earlier you mentioned contamination, though?”  


“Yes, my lord. The initial scientists chosen to study the asset discovered that anything comes too close to it becomes covered in biomass particles. Soon after, they began behaving oddly. After terminating the infected scientists, it was discovered that these particles burrow into organic matter and begin to grow at an impressive rate, and samples indicate they are…eggs of unknown viability.”  


“I see.” The smile audible in Sidious’ distorted voice is nothing short of disturbing. “And is it possible to transmit a sample of these eggs into the base as well? It would be enlightening to observe the complete growth process and accompanying effects.”  
Dooku swallowed convulsively. This was getting progressively worse. The adult creature was dangerous enough! “The eggs stick to inorganic material, but do not grow. Hence the incineration of the probe droids. It would be simple to infect the crew of the base.”  


“Good. You have my permission to proceed in transporting the asset. I look forward to receiving the data you collect in your experiments.” With that, the holographic form of Darth Sideous vanished with the crackle-pop-hiss of a faulty holocomm. Distractedly, Dooku made a note to have that checked on as he made his way over to the main console of the ship. The inter-ship communications were working fine. Good.  


“Activate the network.”  


Flares of violet energy formed a vast cage around the behemoth creature. Its tendrils jerked violently whenever the contacted the sparking cage, and though it made no sound (it can’t have made a sound it has no mouth it has no mouth it has no mouth but so many EYES) Dooku could swear it was screaming. Not in fear, or even really in pain, but in pure unadulterated rage. Perhaps it had a stronger effect on force-sensitives. That makes sense. A creature so strong in the dark side would have a wide broadcast range. That must be it. At least the kyber crystals channeling the energy are holding it back it’s almost as if it knows… 

The thrusters on the generator satellites engaged, beginning the creature’s long and tedious journey towards the Republic outpost on Rishi. The sudden motion allowed Dooku to tear his eyes from the beast and input a set of coordinates to the navcomputer. The leader of the Seperatists and the Count of Serreno has places to be. And if he nearly collapsed in relief as the ship jumped to hyperspace, that was nobody’s business but his own.

**Author's Note:**

> First SW fic. Hope you like creepies, because that's what you're gettin'.


End file.
